VW sales dip in “tense” markets

Volkswagen Group delivered slightly fewer vehicles in the first half of 2015 but again topped the five million mark even though some regions were “tense”. 

In total, 5.04 (January-June 2014: 5.07; a drop of 0.5 percent) million vehicles were handed over to customers from January to June. With deliveries running at 840,400 (June 2014: 877,900; -4.3 per cent) units, the situation in June was “tense”, according to VW.

“Overall, Volkswagen Group brands recorded satisfactory development in the first half of the year in what has in some cases been a difficult market environment. Developments in South America and Russia remain tense, as do conditions in China, where growth on the overall market has been shrinking steadily since the beginning of this year and became negative in June for the first time in several years. As the market leader, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in particular was not immune to these changes currently affecting the market”, said group board member for sales Christian Klingler.

Group brands grew deliveries on the overall European market, in some countries quite significantly, in the first half of the year, handing over a total of 2.11 (2.04; +3.7 per cent) million vehicles to customers. 1.14 (1.07) million customers took possession of a new vehicle in Western Europe (excluding Germany), an increase of 6.9 per cent. 668,300 (626,100; +6.7 per cent) vehicles were handed over on the home market of Germany. The Group delivered 304,000 (343,900; -11.6 per cent) vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe in the period to June, of which 84,300 (142,600; -40.9 per cent) units were handed over to customers on the Russian market where the situation remains tense.

Deliveries in the North America region from January to June rose by 6.0 per cent to 451,200 (425,900) units, of which 295,000 (288,000; +2.4 per cent) were sold in the United States. In the South America region, where conditions remain challenging, the Volkswagen Group delivered 297,300 (383,700; -22.5 per cent) units during the same period, of which 211,800 (301,000; -29.6 per cent) were delivered in Brazil.

Chiefly as a result of the downturn in Volkswagen brand deliveries in China, the Group handed over 1.94 (2.00; -3.0 per cent) million vehicles in the Asia-Pacific region in the first half year, of which 1.74 (1.81; -3.9 per cent) million units were delivered in China, the Group’s largest single market.

                     Outline of developments at Group brands

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 2.95 (3.07; -3.9 per cent) million vehicles to customers worldwide in the first half of 2015.

The premium brand Audi handed over 902,400 (869,400) vehicles worldwide from January to June, an increase of 3.8 per cent.

The sports car manufacturer Porsche delivered a total of 114,000 (87,800) vehicles in the period to June, representing an increase of 29.8 per cent compared with the previous year.

Czech brand ŠKODA delivered 544,300 (522,500) vehicles from January to June, a rise of 4.2 per cent.

Spanish car manufacturer SEAT sold 216,500 (200,100; +8.2 per cent) vehicles to customers worldwide in the first half year.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 223,000 (217,700; +2.4 per cent) vehicles during the same period.

The MAN brand sold 49,900 (57,600; -13.5 per cent) units from January to June.

Swedish brand Scania delivered 37,000 (38,400; -3.7 per cent) heavy trucks and buses to customers in the period to June.